What Can The Italians Teach Us About Food, Wine, and Life?

There aren’t many cultures on the planet that can claim to live life as passionately as do the people of Italy.  I have taken more than a half dozen trips to the beautiful country over the years.  Although I enjoy the unique elegance of French wines and food as much as anyone; the rustic food and robust wines of Italy are special to me.

Several years ago, I had the pleasure of touring the major wine regions of Italy with a group of restaurant, wine, and food experts.  We started in the north with Veneto and Trentino. From there we travelled to Piedmont and ultimately south to Tuscany.  Several prominent wineries of the regions were our hosts and guides including Bertani, Cavit, and Rocha Della Marcie to name a few.

Along the way we dined in Verona, Milano, Trento and Firenze.  Apart from the wonderful food and wine, what impressed me most about the Italian culture was the way food, wine, and life were so harmoniously interwoven.  It was as if the Italians had deliberately spent hundreds of years practicing how to enjoy life and somehow “Figured it out”.

The comfort with which the Italian engaged wine was particularly inspiring.  Although we were with wine experts, with decades of wine making experience, there wasn’t an ounce of arrogance or pomposity.  There weren’t endless discussion about wines or perfect food and wine pairings.  We simply drank excellent wines that had been made locally for centuries with traditional dishes of the regions.  It was the most enjoyable time imaginable.

This Italian experience reaffirmed my humble approach to wine and three principles that should help keep wine lover’s grounded:

1. Wine is essentially fermented grape juice: No matter how lofty the price tag or how rare the bottle, all wine is simply grape juices that has been fermented.  Remembering this fact can help the most knowledgeable “Wine Geek” or “Wine Novice” keep things in perspective.  There is never a need for snobbishness or intimidation when comes to enjoying wine.
2. Drink the wines you like with the food you like: Admittedly the study of wine is broad and complex.  It involves viticulture, history, geography, and enology.  However, one need not know anything about these disciplines to know what wine to drink.  Simply drink the wines you like with foods you like and remain open to trying new ones.  This approach ensures that you will derive great pleasure from drinking wines as your interest in wine and wine palate naturally evolves.  Wine ratings and reviews are also good for unearthing terrific wines, but let your taste be the intimate wine judge.
3. If you’re not studying for the Master Sommelier exam, chill out: Since its introduction in 1960 less than 200 people world-wide have managed to earn the prestigious designation of Master Sommelier.  For some planning to earn such an honor, wine is understandably a serious matter.  For the rest of us, wine should primarily be a source of enjoyment to be shared with others.

Regardless where you are  in your appreciation of wine, beginner or experts, these three principles gleaned from experience in Italy’s wine regions comprise a healthy philosophy for blending food, wine, and life more harmoniously.  So eat, drink, and live well!

Italian Wines Worth Trying

Name	Type	Region	Description
1. Barolo	Red	Piedmont	Big, Bold, Robust
2. Dolcetto	Red	Piedmont	Rich, Fruity, Lighter
3. Gavi	White	Piedmont	Simple, Crisp, Clean
4. Amarone	Red	Veneto	Full, Rich, Fruity
5. Vin Santo	Red/White	Tuscany	Sweet, Nutty, Carmel

Fun In the Kitchen: Panko Crusted Oyster with Shiitake Mushrooms and Savory “Sweet Corn” Foam

It is always a great day when I can find time to have fun in the kitchen.  The local market had fresh oysters and the summer corn looked incredible at the farmer’s market.  I could not resist bring the two together with Shiitake Mushrooms and fresh herbs to round the flavors and textures.

Ingredients

Remove corn from cob and steep in heavy cream to start base for the corn foam.

Finely chop fresh Rosemary, Chives, and Thyme for use in breading and sauteed Shiitakes.

Add freshly chopped Chives to Panko Breading and coat Oysters using flour and egg wash.

Fry Oysters to a golden brown using deep fryer, wok, or deep skillet.

Sautee Shiitake Mushrooms with finely chopped Rosemary, Thyme, and Chives.

Plate: Starting the airy Corn Foam pillow, followed by a bed of herb sauteed Shiitake Mushrooms, and crowned with a succulent Crispy Oyster.

(Pairs perfectly with:  Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, 2007)

Fun In The Kitchen: Lobster Cocktail

When ever possible, like every else, I like to play in the kitchen.  Today, I ran out to the market, grabbed some things that reflected my mode, and put together a light “Summery” Lobster Cocktail with Creme Fraiche, Vine Ripened Tomatoes, and Avocados.  Here are some photos:

Lobster Cocktail

Ingredients

Why Chefs must be at the top of their game?

I was recently speaking with a former Culinary Institute of America classmate, who is a chef and restaurant owner.  We had  a lively conversation about why chefs have to be at the top of their game today.  Although we talked about many reasons, we ultimately settled on a short list of major forces that have made the food industry more popular, more accessible, and more transparent for everyone.  Here’s the top 3 forces:

The Food Network – The Food Network has done more to increase the popularity of cooking than anything or anyone since Julia Child.  As a result of the Food Network, men, women, and people of every age are more interested and knowledgeable  about food today.  The wide range of programs and information has created a generation of restaurant guests, who are more sophisticated and more demanding than any before them.

FoodBuzz.com – Is essentially “Facebook For Foodies”.  This food social networking site brings together restaurant owners, gourmet retailers, professional chefs, home cooks, and everyone in between.   Members share recipes, food photos, restaurant reviews, and food news.  The quality food posts from some so-called  “Amateurs” are one sign that the culinary bar is rising fast.   (Here’s a sample profile)

Yelp.com –  Although Yelp.com has been a source of discontent for some restaurant owners, who have received poor and sometime unjust reviews, the website is a popular place for restaurant goers to find information about restaurants.  The site is an up-to-date restaurant directory with names, locations, reviews, and a rating system.  Finding out what some thought of a particular dining experience last night or a week ago can take just a few mouse clicks these days.

So, when you add The Food Network, FoodBuzz.com,  and Yelp.com (Not to mention food blogs and other popular sites) together, you get restaurant guests who are more knowledgeable , connected, open, and demanding than ever.  This means that “Just OK” food won’t cut it anymore.  As all these food information tools expand and soak-in, all of us who call ourselves Chefs, must bring our “Best Game” to the table in order to survive and thrive.